The field of the invention is a group of frames for supporting eyeglass prescription lenses (or plain glass for eye protection) and lights, optical loupes, cameras, and small microscopes near the eyes of users such as doctors, dentists, and other professionals during medical or dental procedures, and such as jewelers and others who must work with very small parts or details. The device could also be used with lights by persons engaged in various sports including cave exploring and swimming.
Representative of prior art is U.S. Pat. 4,395,731, Jul. 26, 1983 to Schoolman. This patent discloses a kind of goggles to be worn on the head of a physician or dentist which includes devices in front of the eyes to provide a magnified view for manual manipulations of a patient especially those during surgery.
The invention is a frame for supporting prescription eyeglass lenses (or plain glass for eye protection) near the eye of the user, and in addition various other devices such as lights, magnifying glasses, microscopes, etc. for use by dentists and physicians while performing medical procedures, or for use with lights by those engaged in sporting activities including cave exploring and swimming. The frame on which such lenses and devices are mounted is specially designed to accommodate a wide range of different facial features of various individuals, especially those from different ethnic groups, such as differences in the size, shape, and placement of the forehead, eyebrows, nose bridge, and cheekbones. The invention enables individuals to wear the invention, including heavier attachments such as lights and microscopes, for long periods of time with great comfort because: (a) the shape and contact areas of the frame supporting the lenses and devices is custom-designed for the facial features of the individual who will wear it, and (b) the frame features a large area of contact with various facial features thus reducing uncomfortable pressure on the face of the user and thus distributing the weight of the frame and attached devices over a broad area of the user""s face. This enables the user to wear the frame comfortably for extended periods of time. Another aspect of the invention is the process for a custom fitting of the frame to the particular facial structure of the wearer. This can be accomplished by at least three processes. First, a facial model of substantially all the face of the user can be made by conventional plaster model techniques, and this model can serve as the basis for shaping and manufacturing the frame of the device to fit the facial features of the user and to provide extended areas of contact with the user""s facial features thus avoiding pressure points. In this method, a chemical hardening plastic such as methyl methacrylate available from Dentsply International, P. O. Box 872, York, Pa. 17405-0872, well known to those skilled in the art, is pressed against the model and then allowed to harden. Secondly, the user""s face can be scanned by a laser or other device which is connected to a computer which stores the dimensions and topography of the user""s face in the computer and uses that as a basis for manufacturing a custom device for the user through well-known CAD/CAM (computer aided design/computer aided manufacturing) processes. Typical equipment for such scanning and CAD/CAM design and manufacturing is available from Sirona Company, Charlotte, N.C. Thirdly, a custom frame specially shaped for the face of the user can be produced or selected by the user himself using a kit provided by the manufacturer. The kit contains flexible plastic or similar material in the general shape of a frame which can be custom shaped by the user to his own face in a manner which provides extended surface contact with the facial features of the user. Once the shaping is done, the plastic is hardened by light treatment by processes known to those skilled in the art. Such plastic curable by exposure to light is light curable acrylic resin and is available from Dentsply International, P. O. Box 872, York, Pa. 17405-0872. Alternatively, the user can be sent a set of a number of frame templates of different sizes, so that the user can choose the one with a shape most compatible with his facial features. The manufacturer is then informed which frame is the best fit, and the manufacturer then sends the user a frame, made of flexible light curable plastic, closely resembling the best template. Upon receipt of this frame, the user by finger pressure custom fits the frame to his exact facial features, and then hardens the plastic by exposure to light. In each case the frame received by the user contains the headband retaining pins. The frame is held on the head of the user by means of side arms which go over the ears like conventional eyeglasses and by a headband, and there are large contact surfaces with the facial features of the user, and a flexible headband system which engages the back of the user""s head.
The invention also includes the methods of custom shaping the frame with large contact area against the particular facial features of the user. The means for retaining the frame on the user""s head includes glasses-like side arm means, various headband means attached to the frame and contacting various areas of the user""s head, and resilient top headband means.
The objects of the present invention are:
1. To provide a support or frame for prescription lenses, lights, microscopes, and other similar equipment for use by doctors, dentists, and other health-care professionals in carrying out medical and dental procedures, or by jewelers or others who work with small parts or details.
2. To provide such a support for prescription lenses and lights to be worn by those engaged in sports, including cave exploring and swimming.
3. To provide a support which is capable of securely holding the lenses, lights, microscopes etc. in place on the head of the user.
4. To provide a support which is capable of being worn comfortably for extended periods of time despite the substantial weight of the attachments.
5. To provide a support which is comfortable because of its large area of contact with several facial features including the forehead, the eyebrow area, the nose bridge, and cheekbones.
6. To provide a support which is custom-designed to the individual face of the user, and which provides extended contact area with the facial features of the user thus avoiding pressure points.
7. To provide such a support which is easily custom-designed to the individual face of the user by manufacturing based on a facial mold of the user, a laser or light scan the user""s face coupled with CAD/CAM design and manufacturing techniques, or by means of a kit containing a frame in flexible plastic from which the user can form in perfect conformity with his particular facial features, and with an extensive contact area with those facial features.
8. To provide a support which is easily adapted in a custom manner to widely varying facial features of individuals of different sizes and ethnic backgrounds, in a manner which accommodates different configurations and sizes of nose bridges, etc.
9. To provide a support which is held on the head by various headband configurations, so that the weight of lights or microscopes, etc. does not cause the support to be displaced on the face of the user.
10. To provide a secure and precisely positioned support for an optical loupe or microscope in front of the user""s eyes, so that the instrument does not slip up or down or side to side.